A Crater And Questions In Peru

[PPI Brian]

Here's a story that isn't getting very much press:

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/20/in-peru-a-crater-and-questions/?hp

[dwalters]

I think it's the water in the middle that's making people sick

[PPI Brian]

I think it's the water in the middle that's making people sick

Agreed. It's pretty gross looking water, isn't it? 

[PPI Brian]

Here's a recent update on the Peruvian meteor strike:

Tests confirmed that the crater contained telltale magnetic fragments of a meteorite, and Peru?s Geophysics Institute recorded a large tremor in the area at the moment of impact, according to The Associated Press.
Secondly, the mystery illness is probably not due to ?panspermic alien microbes? or other space-based bacteria, as much as some had hoped or feared, however unseriously. It came from the soil, a Peruvian researcher who has visited the site tells National Geographic:

The illness was the result of inhaling arsenic fumes, according to Luisa Macedo, a researcher for Peru?s Mining, Metallurgy, and Geology Institute (INGEMMET), who visited the crash site.
The meteorite created the gases when the object?s hot surface met an underground water supply tainted with arsenic, the scientists said.

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/24/perus-meteor-illness-explained-invitation-extended/?hp

[dwalters]

Told you it was the water 

[PPI Brian]

Told you it was the water?

Why yes you did.  And you were right. Here's your prize:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmhTLcKevZc&mode=related&search=

[dwalters]

thanks man...I'll pick up my DeSoto after work

[PPI Brian]

Here's a recent update about the crater in Peru:

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/story.html?id=965de176-30b8-4dcc-99c0-7afb84b996ad&k=40357

an assessment of the crater by a team of Canadian and Bolivian geologists has put the lie to any continuing reports that the object was a spy satellite or that the crater was caused by a strange volcanic eruption.

[PPI Brian]

The rainy season is about to begin, and experts from the Peruvian Government are predicting the rains will completely wipe out the impact crater we've been discussing in this thread:

http://www.livinginperu.com/news-4827-environmentnature-perus-geological-institute-crater-where-meteorite-landed-is-disappear-2-months

[dwalters]

see...more water.

[PPI Brian]

Wow, this story just keeps going...

Now the Police have been called in to keep people from recovering pieces of the meteorite and selling them:

http://www.livinginperu.com/news-4832-environmentnature-meteorite-crater-guarded-perus-police-after-u-s-citizens-attempt-traffick-it

[dwalters]

THAT'S TOO FUNNY

[PPI Karl]

I thought it had already been determined that the side effects of this thing were nothing more than mass hysteria, and that if people were actually getting sick, it had more to do with what was in the ground than in the meteorite.  Until flesh-eating zombies wearing ponchos actually start showing up in the news, I'll try not to speculate. 

By the way, there's been another meteor in the news, this time over Minnesota (hey):
http://www.space.com/news/ap-071004-minnesota-meteor.html

Should we be on Orange Alert now?  :

[PPI Brian]

I thought it had already been determined that the side effects of this thing were nothing more than mass hysteria, and that if people were actually getting sick, it had more to do with what was in the ground than in the meteorite.? Until flesh-eating zombies wearing ponchos actually start showing up in the news, I'll try not to speculate.?

By the way, there's been another meteor in the news, this time over Minnesota (hey):
http://www.space.com/news/ap-071004-minnesota-meteor.html

Should we be on Orange Alert now?? :

Yes, it's an appropriate way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sputnik.

http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1463316.html

[PPI Glenn]

Last I heard, they suspected a combination of the natural arsenic in the ground mixing with the ground water which was all turned into a gas by the heat of the meteor

I thought it had already been determined that the side effects of this thing were nothing more than mass hysteria, and that if people were actually getting sick, it had more to do with what was in the ground than in the meteorite.  Until flesh-eating zombies wearing ponchos actually start showing up in the news, I'll try not to speculate. 

By the way, there's been another meteor in the news, this time over Minnesota (hey):
http://www.space.com/news/ap-071004-minnesota-meteor.html

Should we be on Orange Alert now?  :

[PPI Glenn]

Pfffftttt.... I think the best way for us to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the start of the space race would be for us to lob one of our extra ICBMs over there.

Take that Russia! We won!

:-)

I thought it had already been determined that the side effects of this thing were nothing more than mass hysteria, and that if people were actually getting sick, it had more to do with what was in the ground than in the meteorite.  Until flesh-eating zombies wearing ponchos actually start showing up in the news, I'll try not to speculate. 

By the way, there's been another meteor in the news, this time over Minnesota (hey):
http://www.space.com/news/ap-071004-minnesota-meteor.html

Should we be on Orange Alert now?  :

Yes, it's an appropriate way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sputnik.

http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1463316.html
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1463316.html

[Denele]

I'm new here, but I read this and I have to say that watching the progression of news stories was amusing. It started with flat out denial, blaming Peruvian farming villagers, to, "Well, yes, okay, it WAS a space rock." lol. I mean come on, these people are not exactly what you would call thechnologically advanced, so I don't see what they would have gained from making up a story like that! The proof is in the pudding ya know? Or in this case, the meteor crater filled with poisonous mud. 

[PPI Brian]

I'm new here, but I read this and I have to say that watching the progression of news stories was amusing. It started with flat out denial, blaming Peruvian farming villagers, to, "Well, yes, okay, it WAS a space rock." lol. I mean come on, these people are not exactly what you would call thechnologically advanced, so I don't see what they would have gained from making up a story like that! The proof is in the pudding ya know? Or in this case, the meteor crater filled with poisonous mud. 

Yes, it is amusing in an ironic way. Amazing how stories such as this play out, even in our own country. 

[PPI Brian]

Here's a clip about how an American meteorite hunter created a "slight international incident" at the impact site in Peru:

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/10/10/406411.aspx

[Denele]

Only slightly? lol

[PPI Brian]

This story just never seems to end.    Russian meteorite traffickers are persuading authorities and citizens in Puno, Peru to extract the fallen meteorite for economic gain.

Click here to read the story:
Russian meteorite traffickers were persuading authorities and citizens in Puno, Peru to extract the fallen meteorite for economic gain.